Wall structural member and method for constructing a wall structure

ABSTRACT

A structural member and method of constructing a wall structure in the ground using the structural member is provided. The structural member includes a shield removably coupled to a structural beam so that a chamber is defined between the shield and the structural beam. The shield member is configured to be removable when the structural member is in the ground. Components disposed in the chamber are protected during construction of the wall structure and are exposed when needed in a specific stage of construction. The components can be pre-attached to the structural beam and may include reinforcing bars to provide reinforcement continuity to the wall structure. The components may also include water stops to inhibit water flow through the wall structure. Methods constructing a wall structure in the ground using the structural member and for constructing an extended wall structure in the ground using the structural member are provided.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 60/649,376 filed on Feb. 1, 2005, which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to wall structures and a methodof constructing the same. The invention provides a wall structureconstructed in the ground using a structural member having pre-attachedcomponents that are protected during construction of the wall structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Foundations for large structures, such as high-rise buildings, stadiums,bridges, tunnels, or other similar structures, are often constructedunderground. Subways, tunnels, or subterranean structures, are by theirnature usually constructed underground. Since these structures arefrequently constructed in urban or developed areas, lateral support isgenerally provided for adjacent structures, streets or utilities, andthe surrounding ground during construction. Several methods are commonlyused to provide lateral support, including installation of sheet piles,soldier piles and lagging, and concrete wall structures. However,installation of sheet piles may cause considerable vibration and noise,disrupting nearby businesses or residences. Soldier piles and laggingmay drain the surrounding soil, causing the ground and adjacentbuildings to settle.

Concrete wall structures, on the other hand, may be constructed withminimal noise, vibration, or disruption, and can be incorporated intothe foundation or finished structure. Concrete wall structures cancontain structural beams and a reinforcing cage integrated with theconcrete wall to provide additional strength. Concrete wall structurescan also be constructed in unstable soil environments or under water,and do not drain the surrounding soil. For example, a slurrydisplacement method or tremie system may be used to place concrete. U.S.Pat. No. 3,412,562 to S. Dougherty and assigned to Ben C. Gerwick, Inc.,describes such methods and systems and is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

Concrete wall structures suffer from other disadvantages. Reinforcementcontinuity is typically desired, allowing for vertical shear transfer,horizontal tension transfer, and moment continuity along the wallstructure. However, reinforcement continuity has posed a significantproblem in the art, particularly since wall structures may comprisemultiple wall sections constructed at different times. In addition, theinterface between the concrete wall and structural beams may provide apath for water flow through the wall structure. Changes in ambienttemperature can cause unequal expansion and contraction of thestructural beams and concrete wall. As a result, water may leak througha gap between a structural beam and concrete wall.

Reinforcement continuity is commonly provided by embedding rods inabutting wall sections. The rods are usually embedded in a first wallsection before being embedded in a second wall section, and areimplemented during construction of the wall sections in the ground.Methods have been developed that allow the rods to protrude from thefirst wall section without being fully embedded in the concrete of thewall, but these methods often rely on elaborate systems to partition thefirst wall section while the concrete hardens. The protruding rods arealso exposed and susceptible to damage during construction of the secondwall structure. Care usually must be taken not to bend or damage therods during excavation for the second wall section, adding to thecomplexity of the construction process. In addition, these methodstypically provide little or no moment capacity horizontally along thewall.

Water stops are known in the art for preventing water seepage throughconcrete joints. Water stops are commonly employed to seal jointsbetween abutting concrete sections. Typically the water stops cover theexposed joint, or are incorporated into the joint. Water stops can alsobe embedded in abutting wall sections. However, embedding water stopsinto abutting wall sections suffers from many of the same difficultiesdiscussed above with respect to reinforcement continuity. For example,the portion of the water stop that protrudes from the first wall sectionmay be torn or damaged during construction of the second wall section.

Attaching components, such as reinforcing bars or water stops, to astructural beam during construction can be a complicated process. Forexample, weak concrete is often used to set the structural beam in aspecific alignment in the ground. Slurry may be used to maintain thetrench or the hole. The dimensions of the trench or hole may also makeattachment difficult. However, many methods of constructing wallstructures rely on attachment of components, particularly forreinforcement continuity, during construction. This may be becausecomponents that are pre-attached to the structural beam can be damagedby insertion of the structural beam into the ground, alignment of thebeam, and by construction and excavation equipment. If weak concrete isused to set the structural beam, it may encase the pre-attachedcomponents before they can be embedded in the concrete wall.

Accordingly it would be desirable to provide a system that protectscomponents pre-attached to a structural beam during construction of awall structure in the ground. It would be further desirable to provide asystem that permits continuity between a structural beam and a concretewall of a wall structure, and along the wall structure. It would be alsodesirable to provide a system that inhibits water flow through theinterface between a structural beam and a concrete wall of a wallstructure. It would be further desirable to provide a method ofconstructing a wall structure in the ground or an extended wallstructure including structural beams having pre-attached water stops orreinforcing bars according to the aforementioned system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, a structural member that can be inserted into theground and having one or more attached components is provided. Thestructural member comprises a removable shield that is coupled to astructural beam, defining a chamber between the shield and thestructural beam. The components are attached to the structural beam sothat they are disposed in the chamber when the shield is coupled to thestructural beam. The shield is configured to be removable from thestructural beam when the structural beam is inserted into the ground.The components may include reinforcing bars to provide reinforcementcontinuity in a wall structure. The components may also include waterstops to reduce or eliminate water leakage through the wall structure.

A method for constructing a wall structure in the ground using a firststructural member is also provided. The method can further include asecond structural member. In addition, a method for constructing anextended wall structure in the ground is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a structural member according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a structural member according toanother embodiment.

FIG. 3A is a top-view of one stage in the construction of a wallstructure in the ground according to another embodiment.

FIG. 3B is a top-view of a second stage in the construction of the wallstructure in the ground depicted in FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is a top-view of one stage in the construction of an extendedwall structure according to yet another embodiment.

FIG. 4B is a top-view of a second stage in the construction of theextended wall structure depicted in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4C is a top-view of a third stage in the construction of theextended wall structure depicted in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5A is a top-view of one stage in the construction of a circularextended wall structure according to another embodiment.

FIG. 5B is a top-view of a second stage in the construction of thecircular extended wall structure depicted in FIG. 5A.

FIG. 5C is a top-view of a third stage in the construction of thecircular extended wall structure depicted in FIG. 5A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described in detail with reference tothe drawings, which are provided as illustrative examples so as toenable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to beunderstood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structuralchanges may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention.

A cross-section of a structural member for use in a wall structureconstructed in the ground according to one embodiment is depicted inFIG. 1. Structural member 100 comprises a structural beam 110.Structural beam 110 has a length extending in a longitudinal direction(normal to the surface of the page). A shield 120 is coupled tostructural beam 110, defining a chamber 152 between shield 120 andstructural beam 110. Components are attached to structural beam 110 anddisposed in chamber 152, including reinforcing bars 132 and 134, andwater stop 142. Shield 120 can be removed from structural beam 110 toexpose chamber 152 and any components disposed therein. Shield 120protects components attached to structural beam 110 and disposed inchamber 152 during construction of the wall structure, allowing use ofstructural beams having pre-attached components (i.e., componentsattached to the structural beam before the structural beam is disposedin the ground). Shield 120 may be removed at a specific stage inconstruction to expose the components; for example, so that thecomponents may be embedded in the wall of the wall structure.

The structural beam may be a flanged beam, such as an H-beam or anI-beam, or may be a channel beam. Structural beam 110 depicted in FIG. 1is a flanged beam, having a first flange 112, a second flange 114 spacedapart and parallel to first flange 112, and a web 116 between firstflange 112 and second flange 114. Web 116 is perpendicular to firstflange 112. Structural beam 110 has a size and length that is sizedaccording to the depth of the hole or height of the planned wallstructure. By way of non-limiting example, a typical structural beam maybe 12 inches wide by 36 inches deep, and extend between 30 feet to 100feet in length. It is to be appreciated that structural beam 110 mayhave a different size and length depending upon the requirements of aspecific construction project. In addition, a bottom plate 160 may beattached to the bottom end of structural beam 110. Bottom plate 160covers the entire cross-sectional area of structural beam 110. The shapeof bottom plate 160 may be varied according to the cross-sectional areaof the type of structural beam used.

Shield 120 may include additional elements to couple the shield tostructural beam 110, and to further define chamber 152. Shield 120depicted in FIG. 1 includes a shield member 122, shield guides 124 andshield spacer 126, and shield stops 128. Shield member 122 has a lengthextending in a longitudinal direction, and extends the length ofstructural beam 110. However, the shield member may have a length longeror shorter than the structural beam. For example, if structural beam 110protrudes out of the ground, shield member 122 may have a length shorterthan structural beam 110 so that shield member 122 only extends toground level. Alternatively, shield member 122 may be longer thanstructural beam 110, so that shield member 122 protrudes past structuralbeam 110. It is to be appreciated that shield member 122 may have adifferent length depending upon the requirements of a specificconstruction project.

Shield member 122 is coupled to structural beam 110 in the followingmanner. Shield guides 124 and shield spacer 126 spacer are attached toshield member 122. Shield guides 124 aid in alignment of the shieldmember 122 with first flange 112 and second flange 114 of structuralbeam 110. Shield spacer 126 spaces shield member 122 from web 116.Shield stops 128 are attached to first flange 112 and second flange 114to aid in alignment of shield member 122, and to help hold shield member122 in place next to structural beam 110. Shield member 120 may alsoinclude attachment points or hooks at a top end to allow forconstruction equipment, such as a crane or a winch, to aid in placementor removal of the shield member.

According to one embodiment, first flange 112, second flange 114, shieldstops 128, and bottom plate 160 work in combination to hold shieldmember 122 in place next to structural beam 110, but shield member 122is not rigidly attached to structural beam 110. Shield member 122 can beremoved by sliding shield member 122 in the longitudinal directiontoward the top end of structural beam 110. Thus, shield member 122 canbe removed from structural beam 110 when structural member 100 is placedin the ground. Moreover, because shield member 122 is removed by slidingalong the length of structural beam 110, shield member 122 may beremoved when the structural member is placed in a constricted space thatdoes not allow for other methods of removal (i.e., a hole diameterroughly equal to the width of structural beam 110).

According to another embodiment, shield member 122 may be temporarilyfastened to structural beam 110, such as by bolts, clamping, welding, orother method known in the art, to aid in handling and placement ofstructural member 100, and later unfastened for removal. In yet anotherembodiment, shield stops 128 may be detached from structural beam 110 tofacilitate removal of shield member 122, such as by allowing shieldmember 122 to be removed laterally from structural beam 110 into an opencavity or trench. It is to be appreciated that shield 120 can be coupledto structural beam 110 in a variety of different ways, and that shield120 might include all, some, or none of the elements described abovewithout departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, itshould be realized that shield 120 can be removed from structural beam110 in a variety of different ways, and that the above embodiments areprovided as illustrative examples. Shield 120 is therefore adaptable tothe requirements of a specific construction project.

It can be seen that when shield 120 is in place next to structural beam110, shield 120 and structural beam 110 define a chamber 152. Inparticular, as depicted in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, chamber 152is defined by shield member 122 and web 116. Chamber 152 extends in thelongitudinal direction, and extends the length of shield member 122. Ifshield member 122 extends the length of structural member 110, chamber152 may also extend the entire length of the structural beam. Chamber152 is bounded on the bottom end by bottom plate 160. Chamber 152 may bedivided into vertical sub-chambers, such as by shield spacer 126, butthis is not necessary. According to an alternate embodiment, shieldspacer may not extend the entire length of shield member 122, or mightbe omitted entirely from the shield 120 (e.g., shield guides 124 mayserve as a shield spacer). In yet another embodiment, chamber 152 may bedivided horizontally separated sub-chambers. Thus, shield 120 andstructural member 110 may be selected to define a specific shape or typeof chamber depending upon the requirements of a specific constructionproject.

Chamber 152 is substantially enclosed by shield 120 and structuralmember 110. Removing the shield exposes the chamber. Referring to FIG.1, when shield member 122 is in place next to structural beam 110,chamber 152 is protected. For example, shield member 122 can be adaptedto prevent intrusion of the ground, construction equipment, excavationequipment, and liquid or semi-liquid material into the chamber. Thus,components may be attached to structural beam 110 and disposed inchamber 152 before construction commences, and can be protected duringconstruction until they are needed at a specific stage of construction.At that stage, the shield may be removed from the structural beam toexpose the chamber and components. For example, the shield may beremoved after excavation of a cavity or trench for the wall of the wallstructure, and before formation of the wall, so that the concrete of thewall flows into the chamber as it is being placed in the cavity,embedding the components.

According to one embodiment, components disposed in chamber 152 mayinclude reinforcing bars 132 and 134. The reinforcing bars may be partof a reinforcing bar assembly 130 that includes a plurality ofreinforcing bars attached to web 116 along the length of structural beam110 (i.e., in the longitudinal direction). Reinforcing bars ofreinforcing bar assembly 130 are attached so that they are generallyperpendicular to web 116, and so that they protrude into chamber 152.Reinforcing bars of reinforcing bar assembly 130 are used in conjunctionwith a reinforcing cage to reinforce the wall structure, and to providecontinuity of shear reinforcement at the interface between thestructural beam and the wall. The reinforcing bars should overlap withcorresponding reinforcing bars of the reinforcing cage to fully developthe tension capacity of the reinforcing bars at the structural beam. Theamount of overlap required is a function of the type and proximity ofthe two bars. For conventional reinforcing bars, the amount of overlapis typically 30 to 40 times the diameter of the bars. For headedreinforcing bars the amount of required overlap is substantiallyreduced. Reinforcing bars 132 and 134 shown in FIG. 1 are headedreinforcing bars, but it is to be appreciated that in an alternateembodiment conventional reinforcing bars may be used.

The reinforcing bar assembly provides reinforcement continuity betweenthe structural beam and the wall. Wall structures that do not havecontinuity at this interface usually do not allow for vertical sheartransfer, horizontal tension transfer, and moment continuityhorizontally across the wall structure, or moment continuity at thestructural beam. This is particularly important in extended wallstructures comprising multiple wall sections. Structural member 100provides reinforcement continuity via reinforcing bar assembly 130 in aneffective and efficient manner. For example, reinforcing bar assembly130 does not require an elaborate system to partition a wall section,and the reinforcing bars are protected during construction of the wallstructure. In addition, headed reinforcing bars of the reinforcing barassembly provide for moment capacity horizontally along the wall. Thus,reinforcing bar assembly 130 may be pre-attached to structural beam 110and protected during construction by shield 120, making use of thestructural member simple and cost-effective.

According to another embodiment, components disposed in chamber 152 mayinclude a water stop 140. As depicted in FIG. 1, water stop 140 mayinclude additional elements, such as a water stop element 142 and awater stop attachment 144 to attach water stop element 142 to web 116.Water stop 140 is attached along the entire length of structural beam110. Water stop element 142 seals the interface between the structuralbeam and the wall when it is embedded in well-compacted concrete of thewall. Water stop element 142 also inhibits water flow by increasing thedistance water must flow along the interface between the structural beamand the wall. The water stop may have a variety of cross-sectionalshapes to facilitate this function, and to help anchor the water stop inthe wall, and might include one or more vanes 146, or include ribs. Inan alternate embodiment, water stop 140 may be attached over a shorterlength of structural beam if, by way of non-limiting example, water willbe present only along a shorter length of the structural beam. Inanother embodiment, water stop 140 may be attached to structural beam110 at other locations, such as first flange 112 or second flange 114,which do not interfere with the operation of shield 120. In an yetanother embodiment the water stop assembly may include multiple waterstops, such as is depicted in FIG. 2, to further reduce water flow alongthe interface between the structural beam and the wall. If multiplewater stops are used, each water stop should be firmly and completelyembedded in well-compacted concrete. Water stops that are attached tooclosely together may collectively impede the flow of concrete andprevent each other from being firmly and completely embedded, reducingtheir effectiveness.

Water stop 140 reduces or eliminates potential leakage through the wallstructure. Structural member 100 thus provides an effective andefficient way to seal the interface between the wall and structuralbeam, which is a potential cause of water leakage through the wallstructure. In addition, water stop 140 may be pre-attached to structuralbeam 110 and protected during construction by using shield 120, so thatuse of the structural member is simple and cost-effective.

As depicted in FIG. 1, reinforcing bar assembly 130 and water stop 140do not extend past first flange 112 and second flange 114. Thus,reinforcing bars 132 and 134 and water stop element 142 are disposed inchamber 152 when shield member 122 is in place next to structural beam110. In another embodiment, water stop element 142 may be constructedfrom a deformable elastic material which is coiled or compressed whenthe shield is in place. When the shield is removed, the water stop canexpand past the edges of the first or second flanges. According to yetanother embodiment, the shield can be modified to create a largerchamber to accommodate components that extend beyond the first andsecond flanges. FIG. 2 depicts a modified shield 120, where shieldmember 122 extends beyond first flange 112 and second flange 114,forming a larger chamber 152. Modified shield 120 preferably does notincrease the maximum width of structural member 100. By way ofnon-limiting example, if the width of shield spacer 126 is equal to orsmaller than one-half the width of structural beam 110 (i.e., one-halfthe width of web 116), structural member 100 can still be placed in ahole having a diameter roughly equal to the width of structural beam110. It is to be appreciated that shield 120 may be modified in avariety of different ways, and that the above embodiments are providedas illustrative examples. Thus, shield 120 can be modified according tothe requirements of a specific construction project.

Structural beam 110 is steel. Structural beam 110 might alternatively bepre-cast concrete, pre-stressed concrete, or other suitable material,such as a composite, that can handle loads imposed on the finished wallstructure. It is to be appreciated that a structural beam having across-section different from the cross-section of structural beam 110may also be used, and that the structural beam does not need to be aflanged beam or channel beam. A shield may be constructed to work avariety of different structural beams and structural beamcross-sections.

Shield 120 is steel. The shield and elements of the shield, includingshield member 122, shield spacer 126, shield guides 124, and shieldstops 128, may be constructed from any other suitable material known inthe art. By way of non-limiting example, shield member 122 can beconstructed from any material strong enough to resist damage fromconstruction equipment, from excavation equipment, and from the grounditself. According to one embodiment, shield member 122 is solid orcontinuous along its length so that it can resist intrusion of liquid orsemi-liquid material into chamber 152. For example, a weak hardenablematerial is often used to set the structural member in a particularalignment in the ground. Shield member 122 is constructed so that littleor none of this material enters chamber 152, or so that this materialdoes not encase reinforcing bar assembly 130 or water stop 140. Inanother embodiment, shield member 122 might be discontinuous, providedthat the shield member still protects chamber 152. For example, shieldmember 122 might be discontinuous to reduce weight and facilitatehandling, such as by having through-holes, if weak concrete or otherweak hardenable material is not used to set the structural member.Shield stops 128 are coupled to structural beam 110 by welding.Alternate means of coupling, such as bolting, may also be used.Similarly, shield guides 124 and shield spacer 126 are attached toshield member 122 by welding, but may be attached by any other suitableform of attachment known in the art.

Bottom plate 160 is steel, but may be constructed from any materialstrong enough to resist damage from construction equipment, fromexcavation equipment, and from the ground itself. By way of non-limitingexample, bottom plate 160 may be a plastic or composite material. Bottomplate 160 works in combination with shield member 122 and structuralbeam 110 to protect components disposed in chamber 152, particularlycomponents disposed near the bottom end of the structural beam. Bottomplate 160 may be attached to structural beam 110 by welding, althoughanother suitable form of attachment known in the art may be used.

Reinforcing bars of reinforcing bar assembly 130, such as reinforcingbars 132 and 134, are constructed from carbon steel and are attached toweb 116 of structural beam 110 by welding. Water stop 140 may beconstructed from various materials or composites. In one embodiment,water stop element 142 is constructed of a deformable elastic materialsuch as a rubber or plastic to permit the water stop to stretch orcompress in response to expansion or contraction of the wall structure.Water stop attachment 144 may be a backing bar attached to structuralbeam 110 that securely and continuously clamps water stop element 142. Awater stop constructed with a deformable elastic material possesses theadditional advantage of being compressible. The pressure of the initialhead of liquid concrete of the wall encases the water stop andcompressed the deformable elastic material. When the concretesolidifies, the compressed water stop exerts a constant pressure againstthe concrete, sealing the interface between the water stop and wall andinhibiting water flow through the wall structure. In another embodiment,water stop element 142 may be constructed from a rigid material, such asa copper or steel plate, and be attached to web 116 by continuouswelding along the length of structural beam 110. In this embodimentwater stop element 142 and water stop attachment 144 can be the samestructure.

It is to be appreciated that according to various embodiments of theinvention, the structural member may include multiple components, suchas both a reinforcing bar assembly and a water stop, or may only includeone component. The type and number of components attached to thestructural beam may be varied according to the requirements of aspecific construction project. In addition, the shield and componentsmay be attached to either side of the structural member. Referring toFIG. 1, structural member 100 includes a shield, a reinforcing barassembly, and a water stop, located on both sides of structural beam110. FIG. 2, in contrast, shows a structural member having a shield andcomponents located on only one side of the structural beam. Thestructural member of FIG. 2 might be used at the end of a wallstructure, for example, where additional components are not needed onthe side of the structural beam opposite the wall. The descriptionprovided above is the same for the shield and components located oneither side of structural member 100.

It is also to be appreciated that the methods of attachment discussedpreviously are not limited to a single type of attachment. For example,attachment by welding may include welding by any type of arc welding,gas welding, or other welding method known in the art. In addition,attachment may include composite forms of attachment, such as bycombination of bolting and welding, or other well-known attachmentmethods.

The abovementioned embodiments describe generally a structural memberthat provides a solution to problems existing in the art related toconstructing wall structures in the ground. The structural member allowsfor efficient and cost-effective pre-attachment of components to astructural beam prior to construction, and provides a novel way ofprotecting those components from damage during the construction process.The structural member includes a shield that is robustly adaptable,simple to implement, and easy to remove; and can be used in a range ofconstruction applications and in confined spaces. Embodiments of thestructural member may include pre-attached reinforcing bars to providereinforcement continuity between the structural beam and wall, along thewall structure, and across wall sections. The pre-attachment ofreinforcing bars is an efficient and cost-effective way of providingreinforcement continuity in a wall structure. Other embodiments of thestructural member may include pre-attached water stops to seal theinterface between the structural beam and the wall, and to prevent waterleakage through the wall structure. Still other embodiments may includeboth reinforcing bars and water stops, or other components. Thestructural member might include pre-attached sensing and monitoringdevices; for instance, to monitor the load and/or conditions of the wallstructure. While various embodiments of a structural member according tothe invention have been described, it will be appreciated by thoseskilled in the art that changes to the embodiments may be made withoutdeparting from the principles and spirit of the invention.

The structural member described above, or an embodiment thereof, may beused to construct a section of a wall structure in the following generalmanner. The structural member is inserted into the ground with theshield in place. The structural member may be set using a weakhardenable material. A cavity is excavated in the ground adjoining theshield. Any material in front of the shield, including weak concretematerial, is also excavated. The shield is removed from the structuralbeam, and the chamber and components attached to the beam are exposed tothe cavity. A hardenable material is placed in the cavity, thehardenable material encasing any components in the chamber. Thehardenable material is allowed to harden, forming a wall in the cavity.The components attached to the structural beam are embedded in the wall,and the structural beam and wall form the section of the wall structure.

A method of constructing a wall structure in the ground using structuralmember 100 will now be described in detail with respect to FIGS. 3A and3B. Referring to FIG. 3A, a first structural member 200 and a secondstructural member 201 are inserted into ground 290 in holes 280 and 281,respectively. Ground 290 is typically the earth, but may be any materialthat allows for the formation of a wall structure below the surface ofthe material. For instance, the ground might be a mound of earthpositioned specifically to construct the wall structure, or land-fill,artificial earth, or other man-made material. The ground might also belocated in non-outdoor areas, such as within a structure (e.g., astadium or a building) or in a subterranean space (e.g., a tunnel orother subterranean structure).

Holes 280 and 281 are spaced a distance that is comparable to the lengthof the planned wall structure or wall section, and are typically 3meters to 6 meters apart. According to one embodiment, the planned wallstructure is a vertical wall structure (i.e., perpendicular to theground), the holes are vertical holes, and the first and secondstructural members are oriented vertically when inserted into the groundin the holes. In another embodiment, slanting wall structures, includinghorizontal wall structures, can be constructed that are offset from avertical orientation, depending upon the requirements of a specificconstruction project. In this case, the first and second structuralmembers are inserted into the ground in a non-vertical orientation thatcorresponds to the slant of the planned wall structure.

First structural member 200 comprises a structural beam 210, a shield220 including a shield member 222, a reinforcing bar assembly 230, and awater stop 240. Reinforcing bar assembly 230 and water stop 240 aredisposed in a chamber 252 formed between shield 220 and structural beam210. First structural member 200 also comprises a bottom plate (omitted)attached to the bottom end of structural beam 210. Similarly, secondstructural member 201 comprises a structural beam 211, a shield 221including a shield member 223, a reinforcing bar assembly 231, and awater stop 241. Reinforcing bar assembly 231 and water stop 241 aredisposed in a chamber 253 formed between shield 221 and structural beam211. Second structural member 201 also comprises a bottom plate(omitted) attached to the bottom end of structural beam 211.

First structural member 200 is aligned in hole 280 such that a side 204faces second structural member 201 in second hole 281. Similarly, secondstructural member 201 is aligned such that a side 205 faces structuralmember 200 in first hole 280. Sides 204 and 205 correspond to thosesides of structural beam 210 and structural beam 211, respectively,having the shield, the reinforcing bar assembly, and the water stop.First and second structural members 200 and 201 are further aligned sothat the flanges of structural beam 210 and structural beam 211 roughlycorrespond with a thickness of the planned wall structure.

At this stage of construction, shield member 222 and shield member 223are kept in place next to structural beam 210 and structural beam 211,respectively. In this way, the components disposed in chambers 252 and253 are protected from damage during insertion and alignment of firststructural member 200 and second structural member 201; for example,from damage caused by falling objects or debris, construction equipment,or contact with the ground. Thus, reinforcing bar assemblies 230 and231, and water stops 240 and 241, may be pre-attached to structuralbeams 210 and 211, respectively, before the first and second structuralmembers are inserted into the ground. Pre-attachment of the componentsadvantageously reduces cost and increases efficiency of the constructionproject, and provides additional benefits such as reinforcementcontinuity and reduction or elimination of water flow through the wallstructure.

After alignment of first structural member 200 and second structuralmember 201, a weak hardenable material (not shown), such as a weakconcrete, may be placed in holes 280 and 281 to set the first and secondstructural members. This concrete or other hardenable material isintentionally made weak (e.g., a foam type concrete with air bubbles) sothat it may be excavated at a later time during construction. This weakhardenable material usually does not form a permanent part of thefinished wall structure. Shield member 222 and shield member 223 arekept in place next to structural beam 210 and structural beam 211,respectively, and inhibit or prevent the weak hardenable material fromentering chambers 252 and 253. Thus, a weak hardenable material may beused to set first structural member 200 and second structural member 201without encasing reinforcing bar assemblies 230 and 231, water stops 240or 241, or other components disposed in chambers 252 and 253. This isparticularly advantageous as it is difficult to expose an encased orembedded component efficiently and without causing damage to thecomponent.

Referring now to FIG. 3B, a cavity is 265 is excavated between firsthole 280 and second hole 281. Cavity 265 substantially corresponds tothe thickness and shape of the planned wall structure, and is excavatedto a depth corresponding to a planned height of the wall. Typically thisdepth is the same as the depth of holes 280 and 281, and isapproximately equal to the length of structural beams 210 and 211.Cavity 265 may be excavated using any excavation equipment used inconstruction, such as a clamshell bucket excavator, drill, millingdevice, backhoe, or pick and shovel, by way of non-limiting example.Cavity 265 is usually a trench, but might be a slot, panel, or othertype of excavation in the ground.

At this stage of construction, shield member 222 and shield member 223are kept in place next to structural beam 210 and structural beam 211,respectively, to prevent damage to the structural beams and anycomponents disposed in chambers 252 and 253 during excavation. Any weakhardenable material located on side 204 and side 205 of holes 280 and281 is also excavated. Excavation of the weak hardenable material fromside 204 and side 205 exposes shield member 222 and shield member 223,respectively, to cavity 265.

After excavating cavity 265, shield members 222 and 223 are removed fromstructural beams 210 and 211. According to an embodiment, shield member222 may be removed by sliding the shield along structural beam 210 in alongitudinal direction out of cavity 265. Similarly, shield member 223may be removed by sliding the shield along structural beam 211 in alongitudinal direction out of cavity 265. Removing shield member 222 andshield member 223 exposes chambers 252 and 253, respectively, and thusexposes reinforcing bar assemblies 230 and 231, and water stops 240 and241, to cavity 265. In another embodiment, shield stops (not labeled) inshields 220 and 221 may be detached so that shield members 222 and 223can be removed laterally into the cavity, such as into an open trench.

A reinforcing cage 270 including a plurality of cage reinforcing bars272 is set in cavity 265. Reinforcing cage 270 is aligned in cavity 265so that cage reinforcing bars 274 overlap with reinforcing bar assembly230 at one end of reinforcing cage 270, and so that cage reinforcingbars 275 overlap with reinforcing bar assembly 231 at the other end ofreinforcing cage 270. The cage reinforcing bars are arranged in alateral direction that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinaldirection, and are generally arranged in an orientation parallel to thereinforcing bars of reinforcing bar assemblies 230 and 231. Thus, wherethe wall structure is a vertical wall structure and the structural beamsare oriented vertically, the cage reinforcing bars are typicallyhorizontal reinforcing bars. The cage reinforcing bars and reinforcingbar assemblies may include headed reinforcing bars, as shown in FIG. 3B.The reinforcing cage may be omitted if reinforcement continuity and wallreinforcement are not needed or desired for a specific constructionproject.

A hardenable material 267 is placed in cavity 265. Hardenable material267 is placed in cavity 265 so that reinforcing bar assemblies 230 and231, reinforcing cage 270, and water stops 240 and 241 are encased inthe hardenable material. Hardenable material 267 is allowed to harden,forming a wall structure. Hardenable material 267 is typically ahardenable cementitious material, such as concrete or cement, by way ofnon-limiting example, that forms the wall between structural beam 210and structural beam 211 of the wall structure. While the wall structureis formed in the ground, it is to be appreciated that the ground may belater excavated to expose the all or part of the finished wallstructure. For example, the wall structure may form an exposed wall in apart of a larger structure, such as an underground parking garage.

In one embodiment, holes 280 and 281 may be formed by drilling ordigging. The diameters of the holes are roughly comparable to thediagonal of the cross section of structural beams 210 and 211 plus anallowance for positioning tolerance of the hole excavation method. Firstand second structural members 200 and 201 may be inserted into the holesprior to alignment. In another embodiment, first and second structuralmembers 200 and 201 may be driven into the ground to form first andsecond holes 280 and 281, respectively.

In one embodiment, holes 280 and 281, or cavity 265, may be maintainedduring construction in unstable soils to prevent the hole or cavitywalls from collapsing. Often this is a concern where groundwater isencountered or where construction must take place under water. In suchcases, a slurry mixture may be used to provide lateral support for thehole or cavity walls, during drilling, excavation, or placement of ahardenable material or weak hardenable material. Lateral support isgenerated by maintaining a slurry mixture level above the water level toproduce a positive pressure on the sides of the hole or cavity. Thispositive pressure restricts water from entering the hole or cavity, andreduces the likelihood of collapse. Slurry mixtures may also inducecaking along the walls of the hole or cavity to further restrict theentry of water. The same principles also reduce the likelihood ofcollapse where no water is present, but where the soil is unstable. Theslurry mixture may be a mineral slurry, such as a Bentonite slurry or adriller's mud, or may be a polymer slurry, such as commerciallyavailable SuperMud manufactured by PDS Company or SlurryPro CDPmanufactured by KB Technologies, Inc.

Slurry usage and slurry displacement methods, including tremie systems,are well known in the art. For example, slurry usage and displacementmethods are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,412,562 to S. Doughty andassigned to Ben C. Gerwick, Inc., entitled “Structural Wall and Method”,incorporated herein by reference. A tremie system typically uses a pipeor tube to place concrete in a hole or trench maintained with a slurrymixture, or to place concrete under water. A tremie pipe may comprise apipe with an opening at both a top and a bottom end. The bottom end isplaced near the bottom of the hole or trench, and wet concrete isintroduced into the top of the pipe. The tremie pipe may be speciallydesigned to facilitate this operation, such as by providing a conicaltop section to receive a charge of concrete. As the level of concreterises, it buries the bottom end of the tremie pipe, and the tremie pipeis gradually raised. Slurry or water is displaced as the head ofconcrete grows. Placement of the concrete is continuous and withoutinterruption. The tremie pipe is kept full with concrete, and the bottomof the tremie pipe remains buried in the growing head of concrete.Keeping the tremie pipe buried in the growing head of concrete preventsa charge of concrete in the tremie pipe from being washed out by thewater or slurry. In this way, concrete may be deposited at the bottom ofa hole or trench containing water or a slurry mixture.

FIGS. 3A and 3B depict structural members including reinforcing barassemblies and water stops. In another embodiment the structural membersinclude only one type of component. Typically the first and secondstructural members will include matching components. Thus, if the firststructural member has a reinforcing bar assembly, the second structuralmember will also have a corresponding reinforcing bar assembly.Similarly, if the first structural member has a water stop, the secondstructural member will also have a corresponding water stop. However, itshould be appreciated that the type and number of components will bedriven by the requirements of a specific construction project. If onlythe first structural member will be exposed to water, for instance, awall structure might be constructed where only the first structuralmember includes a water stop. In addition, construction of thecomponents may not be identical for each structural member. By way ofnon-limiting example, the first structural member may include ametal-type water stop, while the second structural member may include adeformable elastic material-type water stop, or may include additionalor fewer water stops.

A method of constructing an extended wall structure in the ground usingstructural member 100 will now be described with respect to FIGS. 4A-4C.The method of constructing an extended wall structure is similar to themethod of constructing a wall structure in the ground previouslydescribed in connection with FIGS. 3A and 3B. Additional detailsregarding the steps of the current method may be found by referring backto that section.

Referring to FIG. 4A, a plurality of structural members are insertedinto the ground. Each of the structural members includes a shield oneither side of the structural beam. In addition, each of the structuralmembers may have reinforcing bar assemblies, water stops, or othercomponents attached on either side of the structural beam. Thestructural members are placed in pre-drilled holes, or are driven intothe ground. Some or all of the holes may be maintained with a slurrymixture, as required, to prevent intrusion of water or collapse of thehole.

The structural members are aligned so that the flanges of eachstructural beam roughly correspond with the thickness of the plannedwall structure. A weak hardenable material may be placed in some or allof the holes, as required, to set the structural members. If a hole ismaintained with a slurry mixture, the weak hardenable material may beplaced using a system.

Referring now to FIG. 4B, a primary wall is constructed betweenalternate pairs of structural members according to the method describedabove in connection with FIGS. 3A and 3B. In other words, a primarycavity 365 is excavated between a first structural member 300 and afirst adjacent structural member 301. Primary cavity 365 may bemaintained with a slurry mixture, as required, to prevent intrusion ofwater or collapse of the cavity. Following excavation of the primarycavity, shields 321 and 322 on facing sides of the structural membersare removed, while shields 325 and 326 on opposite sides of thestructural members remain in place. For example, shield 321 is removedexposing components disposed in chamber 352, and shield 322 is removedexposing components disposed in chamber 353. A reinforcing cage 370 maythen be set in the primary cavity and aligned with the reinforcing barassemblies disposed in chambers 352 and 353 of structural beams 310 and311, respectively. Next, a hardenable material is placed in the primarycavity, encasing the exposed reinforcing bar assemblies, water stops,and reinforcing cage. If the primary cavity is maintained with a slurrymixture, the hardenable material may be placed using a tremie system.The hardenable material is allowed to harden, forming a primary wall368.

Primary walls are similarly constructed between other pairs of alternatestructural members; for example, between structural member 303 and acorresponding adjacent structural member (not shown). These primarywalls may be constructed concurrently with primary wall 368, or may beformed sequentially. At this stage of construction, the extended wallstructure is composed of discrete primary wall structures as shown inFIG. 4B.

Secondary walls are then formed to connect the primary wall structuresand form the extended wall structure. Referring to FIG. 4C, a secondarywall is formed between first structural member 300 and a second adjacentstructural member 302 in a similar manner to the primary walls. First, asecondary cavity 366 is excavated between first structural member 300and second adjacent structural member 302. If necessary, the cavity ismaintained with a slurry mixture. Next, shield 325 and shield 323 areremoved, exposing components of structural beams 310 and 312 tosecondary cavity 366. A reinforcing cage may be set in the cavity andaligned with the reinforcing bar assemblies. Next, a hardenable materialis placed in secondary cavity 366, encasing the exposed reinforcing barassemblies, water stops, and reinforcing cage. If the secondary cavityis maintained with a slurry mixture, the hardenable material may beplaced using a tremie system. The hardenable material is allowed toharden, forming a secondary wall 369.

Secondary walls are similarly constructed between the other pairs ofstructural members; for instance, between structural member 301 andstructural member 303. These secondary walls may be constructedconcurrently with secondary wall 369, or may be formed sequentially. Thesecondary walls connect the primary wall structures and form acontiguous extended wall structure, as shown in FIG. 4C.

A method constructing a circular extended wall structure usingstructural member 100 will now be described with reference to FIGS.5A-5C. The method of constructing a circular extended wall structure issimilar to the method of constructing an extended wall structurepreviously described in connection with FIGS. 4A-4C. Additional detailsregarding the steps of the current method may be found by referring backto that section.

Referring to FIG. 5A, a plurality of structural members, such asstructural member 410 and structural member 411, are inserted into theground. Each of the structural members includes a shield on either sideof the structural beam. Each of the structural members may also includereinforcing bar assemblies, water stops, or other components attached oneither side of the structural beam. The structural members are alignedso that the flanges of each structural beam roughly correspond with aperimeter and thickness of the planned circular extended wall structure.For example, the structural members are inserted and aligned along adesired radius, as shown in FIG. 5A.

Next, primary walls are formed between alternate pairs of structuralmembers according to the method described with respect to FIG. 4B. Here,however, the primary walls are curved primary walls, such as primarywall 425 shown in FIG. 5B. In addition, reinforcing cage 470 is a curvedreinforcing cage that corresponds to the curvature of the desired wallsection so that it may be set and aligned in the similarly curvedprimary cavity.

Secondary walls structures are then constructed between the other pairsof structural members. The secondary walls connect the primary wallstructures to form a contiguous, circular extended wall structure, asdepicted in FIG. 5C.

Using structural members that include reinforcement assemblies attachedon both sides of each structural beam throughout the circular extendedwall structure provides additional benefits over other wall structures.In particular, the circular extended wall structure shown in FIG. 5Cacts as a composite cylinder rather than a series of adjacent panels,substantially increasing the bending and shear capacity of the wallstructure. This increased capacity provides a significant benefit whenthe wall structure is used as a foundation for an overlying structure,for instance, when used as a foundation for a high-rise building or abridge.

While the above method is described with reference to a circularextended wall structure, it is to be appreciated that the method may beused generally to construct a variety of curvilinear wall structures,and is not limited to construction of the wall structure shown in FIG.5C. In addition, the above methods may be used to construct compositewall structures that include both straight and curvilinear walls. Thus,the above described methods of constructing a wall structure using astructural member may be extrapolated to a broad range of constructionapplications.

Although the present invention has been particularly described withreference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it should be readilyapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that changes andmodifications in the form of the details may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. It should be furtherapparent to those skilled in the art that the various embodiments arenot necessarily exclusive, but that the features of some embodiments maybe combined with the features of other embodiments while remaining withthe spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A structural member for inserting into the ground for use in a wallstructure constructed in the ground comprising: a structural beamelongated in a longitudinal direction; a shield coupled to saidstructural beam such that said shield and said structural beam define achamber extending in said longitudinal direction, wherein said shield isremovable from said structural beam when said structural beam isdisposed in the ground; and a component attached to said structural beamand disposed in said chamber.
 2. The structural member of claim 1wherein said structural beam is a flanged beam.
 3. The structural memberof claim 2 wherein said flanged beam is an H-beam.
 4. The structuralmember of claim 2 wherein said flanged beam is an I-beam.
 5. Thestructural member of claim 1 wherein said structural beam is a channelbeam.
 6. The structural member of claim 1 wherein said component isrigidly attached to said structural member.
 7. The structural member ofclaim 6 wherein said component is a water stop.
 8. The structural memberof claim 6 wherein said component is a reinforcing bar.
 9. Thestructural member of claim 8 wherein said reinforcing bar is a headedreinforcing bar.
 10. The structural member of claim 1 further comprisinga bottom member attached to a bottom end of said structural beam, saidbottom member defining a bottom of said chamber.
 11. The structuralmember of claim 10 wherein said shield is slidably coupled to saidstructural beam.
 12. A structural member disposed in the ground for usein a wall structure constructed in the ground, wherein a cavity in theground adjoins said structural member, said structural membercomprising: a structural beam elongated in a longitudinal direction andhaving a side, said side facing said cavity, and wherein said cavityextends in a lateral direction substantially orthogonal to saidlongitudinal direction; one or more components attached to said side ofsaid structural beam, wherein said one or more components include any ofreinforcing bars and water stops; and a removable shielding means fortemporarily shielding said one or more component from said cavity.
 13. Asection of a wall structure constructed in the ground comprising: astructural member disposed in a hole in the ground, said structuralmember elongated in a longitudinal direction and having a first internalchamber on a first side, said first internal chamber extending in saidlongitudinal direction and defined in part by a first removable sectionof said structural member, said first removable section comprising afirst shield; said first shield on said first side disposed between saidfirst internal chamber and said hole such that said first shieldseparates said first internal chamber from said hole and substantiallyseals said first internal chamber; a first component attached to saidstructural member and disposed in said first internal chamber.
 14. Thesection of claim 13 further comprising: a second component attached to asecond side of said structural member; a wall adjoining said structuralmember on a second side, said wall extending in a lateral directionsubstantially orthogonal to said longitudinal direction; and said secondcomponent embedded in said wall.
 15. The section of claim 14 comprising:said structural member having a second internal chamber on said secondside, said second internal chamber extending in said lengthwisedirection and defined in part by a second removable section of saidstructural member, said second removable section comprising a secondshield, wherein said second shield is removed from said structuralmember; and wherein said second component is disposed in said secondchamber.
 16. The section of claim 13 wherein said first component is awater stop.
 17. The section of claim 13 wherein said first component isa reinforcing bar.
 18. A method for constructing a wall structure in theground using a first structural member, said first structural membercomprising a first structural beam coupled to a removable first shieldsuch that said first structural beam and said first shield define afirst chamber, the method including the steps of: attaching at least onefirst component to said first structural beam, said at least one firstcomponent disposed in said first chamber; inserting said firststructural member into the ground; excavating a cavity in the groundadjoining said first shield; removing said first shield; and exposingsaid first chamber to said cavity.
 19. The method of claim 18 whereinsaid at least one first component is at least one first reinforcing bar.20. The method of claim 19 further comprising: aligning a reinforcingcage in said cavity, said reinforcing cage having a plurality of cagereinforcing bars, wherein at least one of said plurality of cagereinforcing bars partially overlaps with said at least one firstreinforcing bar.
 21. The method of claim 20 wherein said at least onereinforcing bar and said plurality of cage reinforcing bars are headedreinforcing bars.
 22. The method of claim 18 wherein said at least onefirst component is at least one first water stop.
 23. The method ofclaim 18 further comprising: placing a hardenable material in saidcavity, said hardenable material encasing said at least one firstcomponent; and allowing said hardenable material to harden, whereby awall is formed adjoining said first structural member.
 24. The method ofclaim 23 further comprising: providing a second structural member, saidsecond structural member comprising a second structural beam, saidsecond structural beam coupled to a removable second shield such thatsaid second structural beam and said second shield define a secondchamber; attaching at least one second component to said secondstructural beam, said at least one second component disposed in saidsecond chamber; inserting said second structural member into the groundspaced apart from said first structural member such that said secondshield substantially faces said first shield; wherein said step ofexcavating said cavity includes excavating said cavity between saidfirst shield and said second shield; removing said second shield;exposing said second chamber to said cavity; wherein said step ofplacing said hardenable material in said cavity includes said hardenablematerial encasing said at least one second component; and wherein saidstep of allowing said hardenable material to harden includes allowingsaid hardenable material to harden, whereby said wall is formed betweensaid first structural member and said second structural member.
 25. Themethod of claim 23 further comprising: maintaining said cavity with avolume of slurry material; and wherein said step of placing saidhardenable material in said cavity includes placing said hardenablematerial using a tremie system.
 26. The method of claim 18 furthercomprising: wherein said step of inserting said first structural memberinto the ground includes inserting said first structural member into afirst hole; aligning said first structural member in said first hole;placing a weak hardenable material in said first hole; and wherein saidstep of excavating said cavity includes excavating at least a portion ofsaid weak hardenable material to expose said first shield.
 27. Themethod of claim 26 further comprising: maintaining said first hole witha volume of slurry material; wherein said step of placing said weakhardenable material in said first hole includes placing said weakhardenable material using a tremie system.
 28. The method of claim 18further comprising a bottom plate attached to a bottom end of said firststructural beam.
 29. The method of claim 28 wherein said step ofinserting said first structural member into the ground includes drivingsaid bottom end of said first structural beam into the ground.
 30. Amethod of constructing an extended wall structure in the groundcomprising: inserting a plurality of structural members into the ground,each of said structural members comprising: a structural beam; a primaryshield removably coupled on one side of said structural beam, whereby aprimary chamber is formed between said primary shield and saidstructural beam; a secondary shield removably coupled on an oppositeside of said structural beam, whereby a secondary chamber is formedbetween said secondary shield and said structural beam; one or morecomponents attached to said structural beam and disposed in any of saidprimary chamber and said secondary chamber, wherein said one or morecomponents include any of reinforcing bars and water stops; excavating aprimary cavity between a first primary shield of a first structuralmember and a second primary shield of a first adjacent structuralmember; removing said first primary shield and said second primaryshield; exposing to said primary cavity a first primary chamber of saidfirst structural member and a second primary chamber of said firstadjacent structural member; forming a primary wall in said primarycavity, said primary wall embedding any components disposed in saidfirst primary chamber and any components disposed in said second primarychamber; excavating a secondary cavity between a first secondary shieldof said first structural member and a second secondary shield of asecond adjacent structural member; removing said first secondary shieldand said second secondary shield; exposing to said secondary cavity afirst secondary chamber of said first structural member and a secondsecondary chamber of said second adjacent structural member; forming asecondary wall in said secondary cavity, said secondary wall embeddingany components disposed in said first secondary chamber and anycomponents disposed in said second secondary chamber; and wherein saidfirst adjacent structural member, said primary wall, said firststructural member, said secondary wall, and said second adjacentstructural member are contiguous and form said extended wall structure.31. The method of claim 30 wherein said extended wall structurecomprises a plurality of said primary walls and a plurality of saidsecondary walls.
 32. The method of claim 31 wherein the perimeter ofsaid extended wall structure is substantially rectilinear in shape. 33.The method of claim 31 wherein the perimeter of said extended wallstructure is substantially curvilinear in shape.
 34. The method of claim31 wherein the perimeter of said extended wall structure defines ahollow cylinder.